Biomass Beyond Combustion

1
Biomass Beyond Combustion

2
Biomass, Energy, and Energy Rich Products

3
Physical Changes

• Drying
• Usually down to 20 moisture or less
• Size Reduction
• From fireplace logs down to wood flour
• Densification
• Artificial logs to wood pellets

4
Gasification

• Producer Gas
• Low Btu mixture of gases usually used as boiler
  fuel
• Synthesis Gas
• Medium Btu mixture of gases suitable as fuel or
  chemical feedstock

5
Products of Synthesis Gas

• Syngas ? Btus
• or
• Hydrogen
• Methanol
• Ammonia
• Oxoalchohols
• Gaseous and Liquid Hydrocarbons

6
Liquification to Biocrude

• Thermal Process
• Energy for the process supplied by a fraction of
  the biomass feedstock
• Mechanical Process
• The biomass feedstock is subjected to pressure
  and friction in an enclosed reaction system

7
Biocrude Products

• Biocrude ? Btus
• or
• Adhesives
• Asphalt Additives and Modifiers
• Clean Oil
• Food Flavoring
• Char

8
Biological Liquifaction

• Fermentation of Sugars into Ethanol and other
  Products
• Residues are Important
• Carbon Dioxide
• Distillers Dried Grains
• Yeast

9
Thermochemical

• Biofine Process
• Converts lignocellulosic materials into levulinic
  acid, furfural, formic acid with lignin residue
• Levulinic acid is readily converted into other
  valuable products
• Lignin residue is used as energy

10
Transesterification

• Biodiesel, a new old concept
• Fats methanol yields biodiesel plus glycerin
• Fats at present are used cooking oils and surplus
  edible oils

11
The high cost of forest health can only be
countered by converting the low value biomass
removed from the woods into high value products.
12
To be successful we must understand each others
problems and goals and work together to satisfy
each of those goals.